Chris Evangelou defeats Dan Carr to get back to winning ways but brother Andreas calls off fight due to illness

After three successive defeats, Chris Evangelou’s bout against Dan Carr on Saturday had extra significance. The Flash needed a win and he got it. “I am really glad to have broken the curse,” he admitted.

While light welterweight Chris celebrated an important victory at York Hall, his brother Andreas was watching on frustrated.

The light heavyweight was due to face Sam Couzens on the same show but had to pull out of the fight due to illness.

So it was a night of contrasting emotions for the two brothers from Enfield, who train at Edmonton Eagles ABC.

“Nobody will know that feeling when my hand was raised,” Chris said. “After the three defeats it felt like things were snowballing.

“I knew I would win when I stepped into the ring. I was really confident as soon as the cameras went on me.

“I didn’t feel any of the nerves that you usually get with a fight. I had this aura of confidence.”

While Andreas was pleased for his brother he was understandably disappointed with his own misfortune.

“I didn’t get paid because I didn’t fight and I’ve spent money on training camps to prepare,” he said.

“I was gutted because I had trained for two months for the fight. I trained on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and on Valentine’s Day and ultimately I couldn’t go into the ring and fight.

“I am still undefeated though which is important but it has set me back two or three months.”

Andreas felt run down at the start of the week and his trainer, Don Charles, allowed him most of the week off in order to recover.

The 30-year-old arrived at York Hall on Saturday intending to fight but after speaking to Charles and the doctor, the contest was called off.

“I’ve never had to pull out of a fight and I didn’t want to, it was just a case of being intelligent about it,” he said.

“I was hoping a win would put me into the top 20 fighters in the country. That obviously hasn’t happened but it is better than going into the ring and just being beaten up.”

Andreas plans to have some time off before returning to the ring at the start of the summer.

Chris believes his victory can reignite his title hopes. He said a fight for the vacant British title is a possibility but only once he has taken a break.

He said: “I am taking some time off and will be going to New York to relax my body and my mind.

“I will come back, speak to my coach and then see what happens. I have fought for titles before and have done 12 round fights, so I am confident enough to go for them.”

The two brothers are trained by Charles and 28-year-old Chris thanked him for his hard work over the past three months.

He said: “Don has become a big part of our careers and we have never met anyone like him.

“So we really want to thank him for the work he has put in with both of us.”